Manufacture of cartons



April 9, 1940. A 2,196,440

MANUFACTURE OF cgm'rous Filed May 31, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 9, 1940;

J. HOZA IANUEACTURE 0F CARTONS Filed lay 31, 1938* 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q\NV III |I Illll o April 9, 1940. J. HOZA IANUFACTURE 0F CARTONS 4 Sheet S SI zeet 4 Filed May a1, was

Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE In Czechoslovakia May 13,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of cartons, by which expression ismeant light boxes made from a blank of thick paper or light board v(for example, paste-board) which blank is foldable into the form of a box and maintainable by affixation means in that form.

An object of theinvention is to provide a method of manufacture by virtue of which one can avoid manual operations, increase the rate of output and thus lower the cost of production.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacture by virtue of which the carton components will be adhesively bound to one another with permanent and uniformly distributed firmness, in contradistinction to known cartons whose components are held together by staples at single points spaced apart.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of reinforcing the cartons produced at their marginal edges and preferably also at their corners.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will be capable of carrying out the method of manufacture of cartons and which will be automatic in its action.

Other objects of the invention will be evident from the following specification and claims.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section of an automatic machine for the manufacture of cartons and Fig. 1a is a corresponding longitudinal section. Figs. 1 and 1a illustrate an initial stage in the cycle of operations of the machine.

Figs. 2 and 2a, Figs. 3 and 34:, Figs. 4 and 4a,

Figs. 5 and 5a and Figs. 6 and 6a are pairs of views similar to Figs. 1 and la but illustrating successive stages in the cycle of operations.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the blank from which a carton is made.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the blank with one side wall portion raised, said portion having previously had its margin doubled back, and with a lateral extension of said portion inturned.

The manufacture is performed in the following manner: I

A blank, i. e. the stamped-out paper (see Fig. '7), from which each carton is formed is initially stamped out by automatic stamping mechanism and if desired is simultaneously impressed with suitable printing or other matter, and by means of further mechanism (the bending mechanism) doubling-back of the marginal portions C, D on the longitudinal side wall portions J, K of the blank is effected, and the blank thus prepared reaches the actual folding and binding machine.

In the entry of the prepared blank to the machine, it passes through a feed-in device and an adhesive applying device, which latter applies adhesive to the blank on the end wall portions A, B and the marginal portions N, O projecting from the portions A, B, and the blank is led to the actual folding and binding machine now to be described.

The feed-in mechanism brings the blank l under the ram or pressure-head 6 into the position defined by the stop 5, and at the sides the blank is guided by the guides 3, 4, the parts 3, 4 andj being on a longitudinal ledge 1, 8 presenting a supporting surface for the blank above a mattix 6 with which the ram co-operates. Figs. 1 and la illustrate the blank in its uppermost position under the momentarily stationary ram 6. The ram 6 which is provided on a yoke (not shown in the drawings) and co-operates with the matrix, is actuated by a cam-device (also not shown) which moves it up and down at definite periods in the cycle of operations timed by the cams. At the sides of the path swept by the ram 6, there are provided in association with the matrix the aforesaid ledges 'l, 8, the edges of which in the descent of the ram while passing through the position illustrated by Figs. 2 and 2a bend over the longitudinal walls J, K of-the blank at right angles to its base L. On the shaft of the cam which actuates the ram 6 and which is not shown, there is a second cam which in relation to the first cam is offset to the extent of a determinate angle so that it will come into operation later than the ram-actuating cam. This second cam effects the to-and-fro cross movement of lateral bending ledges 9, H), which simultaneously act to, bend-in the lateral extensions E, F, G, H, of the now upwardly bent walls J, K, said extensions thus becoming bent perpendicularly inwards, towards the middle of the blank (see Figs. 3 and 3a).

In the continued descent of the ram, bending ledges in the form of narrow plates l2 arranged, at the side faces of the matrix, bend the adhesivecoated walls A, B, of the blank upwardly and press them against the inturned extensions or inserts E, F, G, H, as will be apparent from Figs. 4 and 4a.

The carton, already partially formed in the manner stated, inthe continued descent of the ram 6, continues. to be depressed and is forced past plates l2 until the stifiening marginal por- 55 tions N, O', now at the tops of the end walls A, B, reach the plane of displaceable bending ledges or plates It. At this moment, the bending ledges it are set in motion inwardly and bend the marginal portions N, into the interior of the carton in a direction perpendicular to the end walls A, B, the portions N, O ultimately extending over the inserts E, F, G, H, as will be apparent from Figs. 5 and 5a.

The bending ledges It also are actuated by cam mechanism which is driven through a yoke in operative connection with the cam that operates the ram 6, the cams for driving the ram 6- and for the ledges It thus receiving positively related movements.

A further stage in the manufacture of the carton consists in doubling-down the marginal portions N and 0 against the side walls J, K. This doubling-back is effected by slides l5, l6 which are arranged directly on the ram 6. These slides are operated by two-armed levers I! which are fulcrumed in the ram and are operable under the control of cam-mechanism including a rod 2. The cam-mechanism is-so timed that, at the. end of the descent of the ram, the levers l'l simultaneously constrained to pivot and force down the slides l5, l6. Thus, in the lowest position of the carton, the marginal portions N, O are doubled-down and press against the end walls A and B, the inserts E, F, G, H, and corner reinforcements constituted by lateral projections 0 .D of the marginal portions C, D.

The carton is now finished to such an extent that only the final pressing of the adhesivecoated portions has to be effected, this operation being effected in the lowest position of the ram by cam-operated pressure plates ll, 13 (see Figs. 6 and 6a). After the pressure operation, the upward movement of the ram 6 occurs and this movement completes one cycle of operations of the machine.

It is necessary that in the ascent of the ram, it shall not take with it the carton, which tends to stick to it. Accordingly means are provided to hold the carton fast; and such means may for example be springs (not shown in the drawings). Thus, the carton remainsin the position corresponding to the lowermost position of the ram.

Thereupon, the entire cycle of operations is repeated for the next blank, and the second carton --whe"n' completed ejects the first carton out of the matrix. The cycle can be repeated continuously, without interruption of the operation of the machine. The completed cartons are ejected from the matrix upon a conveyor band, which conveys them to their place of use.

It will be clear that the doubled-down marginal portions C, D, N and 0 of the respective walls give the walls stiffened tops, which add greatly to the strength of the carton, and that the corner reinforcements D add still further to the cartons strength.

The machine hereinbefore described can be altered as regards various constructional details without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

In the following claims, reference is made to side wall portions and "end" wall portions of the blank and to side walls and end walls of the carton. It is to be understood that the terms"side and ,end are used purely for simplicity and clarity of definition and are not intended to be limitative as regards the relative dimensions of the parts concerned, and it is to be understood that the en dimension may be being treated with adhesive, which method consists in leading-in the blank as one of a series of blanks from an adhesive-treatment station to a matrix at a forming station, seating "the blank in position above the matrix, depressing the blank into the matrix by use of a reciprocable ram from an upper position at said forming station to a lower position thereat,,and acting as follows on the blank while in said matrix, namely, bending-up the wall portions of the blank to form carton walls, bending-in the lateral extensions to form flaps, doubling-down said margins toward the respective walls for adhesive binding, pressing the adhesive-treated components inwardly against the ram while at the end of its working stroke to complete the adhesive action and give permanence of form to the carton, and holding the carton at the lower position during the return stroke of the ram for ejection by the next blank of the matrix for conveyance therefrom.

2. A method of manufacturing a carton from a blank, said blank including side wall portions, lateral extensions and projecting margins thereon and adhesive-treated end wall portions, which method consists in leading-in the blank as one of a series of blanks from an adhesive-treatment station to a matrix at' a forming station, depressing the blank into said matrix by use of a re-' ciprocable ram from an upper position at said.

forming station to a lower position thereat, and acting as follows on the blank while in said matrix, namely, bending-up the side wall portions of the blank in perpendicular relation thereto to form carton side walls, bending-in the lateral extensions of said walls in perpendicular relation thereto'to form flaps, bendingup the adhesive-treated end wall portions in perpendicular relation to the blank to engage said fiaps and form carton end walls, doubling-down said margins toward the end walls and said flaps for adhesion, pressing the adhesive-treated components inwardly against the ram while at the end of its working stroke to complete the adhesive action and give permanence of form to the carton, and holding the carton at the lower position during the return stroke of the rain for ejection by the next blank of the series out of the matrix for conveyance therefrom.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which opposite wall portions which do not have projecting margins to be doubled-down in the matrix are formed in a preliminaryoperation with doubled-down adhesively bound margins which, in the finished carton, correspond to the margins doubled-down in the matrix.

4. A, method as claimed in claim 1 in which opposite wall portions which do not have projecting margins to be doubled-down in the matrix are formed in a preliminary operation with doubled-down adhesively bound margins which, in the finished carton, correspond to the margins doubled-down in the matrix, in which the margins doubled-down in a preliminary operation have lateral projections, and in which said pro- Jections are bound-in along with the lateral extensions so that said projections will be adheagainst it in its lower position the end wall portions and doubled-down margins into perma-' lation to the matrix for bending-up opposite wall portions of the blank, means associated with the matrix and movable laterally in timed relationship with the ram to bend-in lateral extensions on said wall portions, means extending transverse to said direction for bending-up the remaining wall portions of the blank, means movably mounted in relation to the ram for doubling-down projecting margins on certain of the wall portions,,and pressure elements which are movable inwardly toward the ram to press against it in its lower position the bent components into permanent adhesive engagement with one another to form a carton, said niatrix being adapted to hold the formed carton in the lower position for ejection on the next descent of the ram by the next carton formed.

6. An automatic machine for forming a carton from a blank comprising a ram reciprocable between an upper position and a lower position, a matrix beneath the ram into which the ram works, longitudinally extending ledges above the matrix for bending-up side wall portions of the blank, lateral ledges associated with the matrix and movable laterally in timed relationship with the ram to bend-in lateral extensions on said side wall portions, transversely extending ledges associated with the matrix for bending-up the end wall portions of the blank, transversely extending means movably mounted in relation to the ram for bending-in projecting margins on the end wall portions, means slidably carried by the ram for doubling-down the bent-in projecting margins, and pressure elements which are movable inwardly toward the ram to press nent engagement with the bent-in lateral extensions of the side wall portions to form a carton, said matrix being adapted to hold the formed carton in the lower position for ejection on the next descent of the ram by the next.carton formed. I

'7. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 6 in which the means on theram for doublingdown the bent-in margins consist of vertically movable slides on the ram, said slides being engageable with said margins, levers fulcrumed in the ram in operative connection with said slides, and cam-operated means for pivoting said levers in timed relationship with the ram.

8; An automatic machine for forming a cartonfrom a blank comprising a ram reciprocable between an upper position and a lower position, a matrix beneath the ram into which the ram works, ledges at the top of the matrix to provide a supporting surface for the blank, stationary guide and stop means disposed on said surface to position the blank with respect to the matrix, means extending in one direction in relation to the matrix for bending-up opposite wall portions of the blank, means associated with the matrix and movable laterally in timed relationship with the ram to bend-in lateral extensions on said wall portions, means extending transverse to said direction forv bending-up the remaining wall portions of the blank, means movably mounted in relation to the ram for doubling-down projecting margins on certain of the wall portions, and pressure elements which are movable inwardly toward the ram to press against it in its lower position the bent components into permanent adhesive engagement with one another to form a carton, said matrix being adapted to hold T the formed carton in the lower position for ejection on the next descent of the ram by the next 

